GENERAL EMBRYOLOGICAL INFORMATION SERVICE 1954 (supplement to the fihh issue) ISSUE OF THE HUBRECHT LABORATORY Issue of the Hubreclit Laboratory seat of the ,.lnstitut International d'EmbryoIogie" (Embryological section of the I.U.B.S.) Janskerkhof 2 - Utrecht - Netherlands INTRODUCTION Biennial appearance In the 1953-issue we announced that suggestions have been made from several sides to publish the General Embryological Information Service bien- nially. The inquiry which we held in the beginning of this year in order to obtain an objective judgment of the desirability of either an annual or a bien- nial publication of the G.E.I.S., served its purpose very well. We feel very much obliged towards all subscribers and collaborators of the G.E.I.S., who sent us their answers and often very valuable suggestions. We received a total number of about two hundred answers, which clearly demonstrates the general interest in our enterprise. The far greater majority. 143 out of 198, supports a biennial appearance of the G.E.I.S. and only 55 want to see the G.E.I.S. published annually. Particularly a great number of American collaborators are in favour of a biennal appearance, viz. 56 out of 68. which represents about 82 %. In Europe this percentage is about 71 % (70 out of 98) and in the remaining countries including many more isolated countries the percentage is about 53 % (17 out of 32). Thus, even there the majority supports a biennial appearance. We will try as much as we can to meet the objections necessarily attended with a biennial appearance by publishing a supplement in the interjacent years, and by making the full issue as complete and up to date as possible. Contents o[ the supplement This supplement will contain the following chapters: a) Introduction P- 5 b) Changes of address and new addresses of collaborators . c) ,, Supply and Demand" Service for laboratory animals . . d) General questions and announcements I The Hubrecht Laboratory II The Central Embryological Library (C.E.L. ) III The Central Embryological Collection of slides and material IV The Normal Table of Xenopus laevis e) Communications of the ,,Institut International d'Embryologie" (Embryological Section of the I.U.B.S.) . • f) Reviews of recently published textbooks on embryology We decided that these chapters should be published annually in order to guarantee actuality of the published data. ..Supply and Demand" Service The chapter "Supply and Demand" Service for laboratory animals has been changed, since the original form missed the required clearness and was typo- grafically unsatisfactory. In order to avoid the necessity of using two different systems the data of the 1953-issue are included in the supplement. p. 7 P- 10 P- 16 p- 16 p- 16 p- 17 p- loc 17 [ie" P- 17 P- 18 Changes of address For our plan to make the following full issues, starting with the 1955-issue, as complete as possible, we need your personal cooperation. The possibility that addresses get out of date and the news of the foundation of new institu- tions will not reach us. increases with biennial collecting of data. We therefore urgently request all our collaborators to send us additional informa- tion about changes of address and new institutions, so that we can include them in our administration and collect the accurate data for the 1955-issue in the first half of 1955. We will also try to extend our in- formation concerning the medical and veterinary institutes in which embryolo- gical work is regularly or occasionally being done. We hope to add also more information from the Latin-American countries, the Arab countries, Southern Asia etc. May we thank you in advance for your cooperation. Please return the attached card at your earliest convenience. Subscription fee We have amply considered the possibility to offer this supplement without further charges to our regular subscribers. Although we are able to include the supplement 1954 in the subscription for 1953, we are not sure that we can do this in future for further supplements without a slight increase of the subscrip- tion fee for the full issues. Costs of printing, paper, shipment etc. are still increasing. Since the G.E.I.S. is self-supporting we shall consider this point every second year in order to guarantee a sound financial base. P. D. NIEUWKOOP 1 Changes or address and new addresses or coIIaooraioTS ASSENMACHER, I. Dr en Med., Lie. es. Sci. — Lab. d'Histophysiol. du College de France, 4 Avenue Gordon Bennett, PARIS 16e, France. BELLAIRS-MORGAN. Mrs M. R. B.Sc, Ph.D. — Dept. of Zool. and comp. Anat., St Bartholomew's Medical College, Charterhouse Square, LONDON, E.C. 1, England. BERG, G. G. Dr — Dept of Zool., Columbia Univ., NEW YORK 27, N.Y., U.S.A. BERGQUIST, H. Ph.D. — Zool. Inst., Univ. of Gothenburg. Gustaf Adolfs torg 4, GOTEBORG, Sweden. BORGHESE, E. Dr — 1st. di Anat. Um. norm.. Univ. di Pavia, Via For- lanini 4, PAVIA, Italia. BRADEN, A. W. H. B.Sc. (Adelaide), M.Sc. — Inst, of Animal Genet., Univ. Dept of Genet., King's Buildings, West Mains Rd, EDIN- BURGH 9, Scotland (U.K.) (from Oct. 1954 till Oct. 1956). CHANG. T. K. Dr — Chinese Peking Union Med. College. PEKING. China. CHEN, P. S. D.phil. — Zool.-vergl. Anat. Inst., Univ. Zurich, Kiinstler- gasse 16, ZURICH 6, Schwciz. CLEMENT, A. C. Ph.D., Prof. — Dept. of Biol., Emory Univ., ATLANTA, Ga. U.S.A. (temporary address: c/o Lab. de Morphol. anim., 1850 Chaussee de Wavre. BRUXELLES-Auderghem, Belgique). COULOMBRE, A. J. B.S., M.S. — Yale Univ. School of Med. Sterling Hall of Med., Dept of Anat., 333 Cedar Street, NEW HAVEN 11, Conn., U.S.A. DEVILLERS, Ch. Dr es Sci. — Lab. d'Anat. et Histol. comp., Fac. des Sci., 1 Rue Victor Cousin, PARIS Ve, France. DOESBURG, P. H. van B.Sc. — Hubrecht Laboratory, International Em- bryological Institute, Janskerkhof 2, UTRECHT, Netherlands. ERKEL, G. A. van B.Sc. — Hubrecht Laboratory, International ilmbryolo- gical Institute, Janskerkhof 2, UTRECHT, Netherlands. FUJII, H. Dr, Prof. — Zool. Inst., Fac. of Sci., Tokyo Univ., TOKYO, Japan. GAILLARD, P. J. Med. Dr., Prof. — Lab. voor Cytol. en Exp. Histologie, Rijnsburgerweg 10, LEIDEN, Netherlands. GLOOR. H. Ph.D., P.D., Prof. — Prof, of Genetics in the Univ. of Leiden, temporary address: c/o Bot. Lab. of the Univ. of Leiden. Nonnensteeg 2, LEIDEN, Netherlands. GRANT, Ph. Dr — Inst, for Cancer Research, 7701 Burholm Ave, PHILA- DELPHIA 11, Pa., U.S.A. HARA, K. M.Sc. — Hubrecht Laboratory, Intern. Embryol. Inst.. Janskerk- hof 2. UTRECHT. Netherlands (till beginning of 1955). — Biol. Inst., Fac. of Sci., Nagoya Univ., Chihusa-ku, NAGOYA, Japan. HARARI, Miss D. M.Sc. — Hubrecht Lab., Intern. Embryol. Inst., Jans- kerkhof 2, UTRECHT, Netherlands (first half of 1954) — Dept of Zool., Hebrew Univ., JERUSALEM, Israel. HASSA, O. Dr Vet. Sci. — Hubrecht Lab.. Intern. Embryol. Inst., Janskerk- 8 hof 2. UTRECHT, Netherlands (first half of 1954) — Dept of Histol.. Veterinary Fac, ANKARA, Turkey. HORI, R. M.Sc. — Hubrecht Laboratory, Intern. Embryol. Inst., Janskerk- hof 2, UTRECHT, Netherlands (till end of 1954) — Biol. Inst., Fac. of Liberal Arts, Toyama Univ., TOYAMA, Japan. HUBER, W. Dr es Sci. — Zool. Museum, BERN, Switserland. HYDfiN, H. Dr — Inst, of Histol.. Med. School, Univ. of Gothenburg, GOTEBORG C. Sweden. ISHIDA, J. Dr, Prof. — Zool. Inst.. Fac. of Sci., Tokyo Univ.. TOKYO. Japan. ISHIKAWA. T. Dr. Prof. — Pathol. Lab., Med. Fac, Kanazawa Univ., KANAZAWA, Japan. ISLAM, A. Dr — Dept of Zoology. Government College. LAHORE, Pakistan. IWASAWA. ... — Biol. Inst., Fac. of Sci., Niigata Univ., NIIGATA. Japan. JAFFE, L. Dr — Hopkins Marine Station, PACIFIC GROVE, Cal., U.S.A. KAWAMURA, T. Dr, Prof. — Biol. Inst.. Fac. of Sci., Hiroshima Univ., HIROSHIMA, Japan. KINOSHITA, H. Dr, Ass. Prof. — Zool. Inst., Fac. of Sci., Tokyo Univ., TOKYO, Japan. KUSA, M. Asst Prof. — Zool. Inst., Fac. of Sci.. Hokkaido Univ., SAP- PORO. Japan. KUWABARA. M. Dr, Prof. — Biol. Inst.. Fac. of Sci., Kyushu Univ.. KYuSHu, Japan. LISON, L. Prof. — Fac. de Med. de Ribeirao Preto, Univ. de Sao Paulo, SAO PAULO, Bresil. LOSCHER, M. Dr Phil. (Basel), Prof. — Zool. Inst, der Univ., Sahlistr. 8, BERN, Schweiz. LUTHER, W. Dr Phil., Prof. — Zool. Inst, der Univ.. DARMSTADT. Deutschland. MAYER. G. Prof. Dr — Lab. d'Histol. et d'Embryol., Fac. de Med., Univ. de Bordeaux, BORDEAUX, France. McMURRAY, Miss V. M. A.B., M.S., Ph.D. — Hubrecht Lab.. Internal. Embryol. Inst., Janskerkhof 2, UTRECHT, Holland (first half of 1954) — Dept of developm. Biol., Rockefeller Inst, for Med. Research, 66th St and York Ave. NEW YORK. N.Y., U.S.A. MIKAMI, Y. Dr, Asst Prof. — Anat. Inst., Med. Fac, Niigata Univ.. NIIGATA. Japan. MORTON, ... Dr — Dept of Anat., Queens Univ., BELFAST. N. Ireland. OIKAWA, Miss I. Dr — Biol. Inst., Fac. of Liberal Arts, Kochi Univ., KOCHI, Japan. OKADA, K. Dr, Prof. — Biol. Inst., Fac. of Liberal Arts, Tokushima Univ., Japan. OKADA, Y. K. Prof. — National Museum of Nat. Sci., Ueno-park, Taito- ku. TOKYO, Japan. ORTS LLORCA, F. Prof. — Gated, de Anat.. Fac. de Med., Cindrad Uni- versitaria. MADRID, Spain. RAYNAUD, A. Dr es Sc — Lab. de Sannois de I'lnst. Pasteur, Quartier des vieux moulins, SANNOIS (Seine et Oise), France. ROSSI-DE RUBEIS, F. Prof. — 1st. di Anat. Um. norm., Univ. di Geneva, Viale Benedetto 15, Genova, Italia. SEIDEL, F. Dr Phil., Prof. — Zoologisches Institut der Universitat, MAR- BURG/Lahn, Deutschland. SLABY, Otto Dr — Inst. d'Histol. et d'Embryol., Univ. de Charles, Fac. de Med., PLZEN, Tchecoslovaquie. SOSA, J. M. Dr — Depto de Anat.-micr. y Citol, Fac. de Human, y Cienc, Cerrito 73, MONTEVIDEO, Uruguay. TAKEWAKI, K. Dr, Prof. — Zool. Inst., Fac. of Sci., Tokyo Univ., TOKYO, Japan. TARDENT, P. Dr — Stazione Zoologica, Villa Communale, NAPLES 101, Italy. TAVARES DE SOUSA, A. Dr — Inst, de Histol. e Embriol., Fac. de Med., COIMBRA, Portugal. THURMOND, W. A.B., M.A. — Calif. State Polytechnic College, SAN LUIS OBISPO, Cal, U.S.A. TUCKER, R. D.V.M., B.V.Sc. — Dept of Histol. and Embryol., Fac. of Vet. Sci., Univ. of Queensland, Yeerongpilly, BRISBANE, Queens- land, Australia. WEISS. P. A. F.I.I.E., Ph. D., M.D. (hon.c). Prof. — Dept of developm. Biol.. Rockefeller Inst, for Med. Research, 66th St and York Ave, NEW YORK, N.Y., U.S.A. WILDE Jr, Ch. E. Dr — Dept of Anat., School of Med., Univ. of Pennsyl- vania, PHILADELPHIA 4, Pa, U.S.A. WOLSKY, A. Dr, Prof. — Biological Laboratory, Fordham University, NEW YORK 58, N.Y., U.S.A. ZOTIN, A. I. — A. N. Severcov Institute for Animal Morphology of the Academy of Sciences of the USSR, c/o B. Kaluzskaja Ulica 14, MOSKWA. USSR. 10 ..SUPPLY AND DEMAND" SERVICE for Laboratory Animals Transactions should be carried out directly between the interested parties. We do not take any responsibilities either for the transactions themselves, or in matters relating to prices, in- and export regulations, animal protection regulations etc. A. LIST OF SPECIES AVAILABLE with numbers referring to List C. 9, H Unless otherwise stated, most GENERAL Tumours (different transplantable-) * Preserved embryological material Marine animals Marine organisms (from Gulf of Mexico) Evertebrata PROTISTA Protozoan cultures Chaos chaos (= Pelomyxa carolinesis) Tetrahymena piriformis (= T. geleii, Lwoff's strain) COELENTERATA Coelcnterata (many spp.) Coelenterata (marine spp.) VERMES AND ONYCHO- PHORA Vermes (many spp.) Annelida (marine spp.) Peripatus Planaria vitta (a clone-forming species) Urechis caupo (ripe animals, October — June) ARTHROPODA Scorpiones Myriopoda Crustacea Crustacea (marine spp.) Artemia salina (eggs) Insecta Insecta Calliphora erytrocephala items available throughout the year. Carausius morosus Br. Ephestia kiihniella Zeller (various races) Formica rufa (workers) Formica rufa ( $ S and $ 9 , May — July) Gallcria mellonella L. Habrobracon juglandis Lasius sp. (workers) Lasius sp. ( $ $ and 9 9 , May— July) Leptinotarsa decemlineata (larvae and adults) Locusta migratoria migr. Tenebrio molitor MOLLUSCA Mollusca (marine spp.) Gastropoda (giant land snails) Physa syriaca Germain (April — October) ECHINODERMATA Echinodermata (marine spp.) Arbacia punctulata Lytechinus variegatus PISCES Elasmobranchii AMPHIBIA Amphibia (various spp.) Amphibia (various spp.) Urodcla Urodela (adults and eggs) Ambystoma spp. Ambystoma (7 spp.) Ambystoma maculatum (eggs and adults) 35 35 **38 **38 35 35 **38 **38 42 42 35 25 2 **29 25 6 25 2 '39 20 11 20 14 = Transactions on exchange basis, see same numbers in list B. 11 Ambystoma mexicanum **37 , *M0 Ambystoina mexicanum (1—2 years old) 43 Ambystoma tigrinum (preserved eggs and larvae ) 11 Amphiuma means 20 Aneides sp. 11 Aneides aeneus 20 Batrocheps sp. 11 Cryptobranchus alleganiensis 20 Desmognathus sp. 11 Desmognathus (8 spp.) 20 Eurycea sp. 11 Eurycea (6 spp.) 20 Gyrinophilus (5 spp.) 20 Hemidactylium scutatum 20 Leurognathus (2 spp.) 20 Manculus quadridigitatus 20 Necturus sp. 11. 14 Necturus (5 spp.) 20 Plethodon sp. 11 Plethodon (15 spp.) 20 Pleurodeles Waltlii 17, 30 Pseudobranchus (2 spp.) 20 Pseudotriton (6 spp.) 20 Salamandra sp. 11 Siren (2 spp.) 20 Triturus spp. 11 Triturus (4 spp.) 20 Triturus alpestris 30 Triturus alpestris (March— July) **34 Triturus cristatus 30 Triturus cristatus (March— July) **34 Triturus cristatus (March — June) *M0 Triturus cristatus (April — June) **49 Triturus cristatus carnifex 30 Triturus helveticus (March— July) **34 Triturus palmatus (April — June) **49 Triturus viridescens 14 Triturus vulgaris (April — June) *M9 Anura Anura (various spp.) 3 Acris sp. 11 20 *M0 11 *M1 11 Bufo (3 spp.) Bufo bufo (March — June) Bufo marinus Discoglossus pictus (March— May) Hyla sp. Hyla (4 spp.) 20 Pseudacris (2 spp.) 20 Rana (5 spp.) 20 Rana catesbiana 14 Rana dalmatina (March— June) *M0 Rana esculenta (March — June) * Scaphiopus holbrooki Xenopus laevis 17, Xenopus laevis REPTILIA Reptilia Reptilia (many spp.) Lacertilia (eggs, young animals and adults) MAMMALIA Mammalia (many spp.) Chiroptera Corynorhinus macrotis Eptesicus fuscus Lasiurus borealis Myotis (6 spp.) Pipistrellus subflavus Primates Macaca mulata Rhesus monkeys { $ and 9 , 3—6 Lb.) Rhesus monkeys {old S $ ) *' Lagomorpha Oryctolagus cuniculus (4 strains, one inbred since 1937) Oryctolagus cuniculus Rodentia Rodentia (all kinds of laboratory-) * Cavia cobaya Marcor Cavia cobaya (3 strains) Cricetus sp. Cricetus auratus Mus musculus Mus musculus (some strains, inbred during many gene- rations) 40 20 30 '37 2 11 30 11 20 20 20 20 20 12 28 *47 36 44 45 48 45 44 45 12 Mus musculus (several mutants. Peromyscus eremicus e. **24 e.g. A> = homozygous-lethal Peromyscus leucopus arizonae **24 yellow, W ^ macrocytic Peromyscus leucopus nove- anaemia; hair-colour and eye- borac. **24 colour mutants) 45 Peromyscus maniculatus Mus musculus 48 gambelli **24 Mus rattus (2 inbred strains) 45 Peromyscus nasutus n. **24 Mus rattus (hair-colour and Camivora eye-colour mutants) 45 Mustela putorius Mus rattus 48 Mustela putorius x Mustela Peromyscus calif, c. **24 putorius furo (hybrid) 45 B. LIST OF SPECIES WANTED with numbers referring to List C. GENERAL Hynobius spp. **41 Evertebrata (preserved develop- Pleurodeles Waltlii , **37 mental stages) 9 Triturus alpestris **41 Vertebrata (preserved develop- Triturus alpestris **49 mental stages) 9 Xenopus laevis {±. 1 year old) 43 ARTHROPODA Arthropoda 11 REPTILIA Astacus fluviatilis 42 Reptilia (preserved develop- Attini (living 9 9 with brood, mental stages) 9 fungus gardens and workers * *38 Reptilia 1 1 Hirudo medicinalis 42 CEPHALOCHORDATA MAMMALIA Amphioxus (preserved develop- Cricetus spp. **24 mental stages) 9 Marsupialia (preserved develop- Amphioxus (fertilized eggs. mental stages) 9 morula and gastrula stages) * *29 Mus spp. **24 PISCES Primates (pregnant 9 9 , world Holocephali (preserved embryos 3 wide, except macaques in the AMPHIBIA widest sense) 21 Amphibia (world wide) 10 Rattus spp. (e.g. cotton rats) **24 Amphibia 11 Rhesus monkeys (healthy. Ambystoma spp. * *34 tuberculin tested, young, im- Ambystoma mexicanum mature or mature, 5 or 9 ) **47 (sexually mature) 46 Rodentia **24 C. LIST OF NAMES AND ADDRESSES (geograpnical order) AFRICA Br. Ea. Africa 1* MAHOMED HESEIN & Co South Africa 2* EDUCA PRODUCTS (Pty.) Ltd P.O. Box 506, ZANZIBAR P.O. Box 3538, CAPE TOWN 13 3 ZOOLOGICAL INSTITUTE, Univ. of Stellenbosch — STELLEN- BOSCH N. AMERICA United States 4 DEPT OF EMBRYOLOGY, Div. of Biol., Calif. Inst, of Technol. — PASADENA 4 Cal. 5* TROPICAL HOBBYLAND — 1525 N.W. 27th Ave, MIAMI 35. Florida 6 DEPT OF ZOOLOGY, Florida State Univ. — TALLAHASSEE. Florida 7* UNITED SCIENTIFIC Co. — 300 North Jefferson St., CHICAGO 6. Illinois 8* W. M. WELCH SCIENTIFIC Co. — 1515 Sedgwick St., CHICAGO 10, Illinois 9* GENERAL BIOLOGICAL SUPPLY HOUSE — 761-763 E., 69th Place, CHICAGO 37. 111. 10 DEPT OF ZOOLOGY. State Univ. of Iowa — IOWA CITY. Iowa 11* QUIVIRA SPECIALTIES Co. — 4204 West 21st St. TOPEKA, Kan. 12 DEPT OF EMBRYOLOGY. Carneqie Institution of Washington — Wolfe and Madison Sts. BALTIMORE 5, Md. 13* CHASE WILD ANIMAL FARM — Lawson Rd, EGYPT, Mass. 14* MARINE BIOLOGICAL LABORATORY Supply Department — WOODS HOLE, Mass. 15* TRANS-MISSISSIPPI BIOLOGICAL SUPPLY — 892 West County Rd B., ST PAUL, Minn. 16* STANDARD SCIENTIFIC SUPPLY Corp. — 34-38 West 4th St, NEW YORK City. N.Y. 17 DEPT OF BIOLOGY. Coll. of Arts and Sci., Univ. of Rochester — ROCHESTER 3, N.Y. IS* WARDS NATURAL SCIENCE ESTABL. — 3000 Ridge Rd East, ROCHESTER. N.Y. 19* CAROLINA BIOLOGICAL SUPPLY HOUSE — ELON COLLEGE, N.C. 20* J. C. NICHOLLS Jr.. Zoological Collector — MURPHY, N.C. 21 SCHOOL OF SCIENCE. Oreqon State College — CORVALLIS, Ore. 22* PORTLAND BIOLOGICAL SUPPLY Co. — P.O. Box 6671 Lents Station. PORTLAND 66, Ore. 23* SOUTHWESTERN BIOLOGICAL SUPPLY Co. — P.O. Box 4084, DALLAS. Tex. 24 MEDICAL SCHOOL, Univ. of Texas — GALVESTON. Tex. 25* NORTHWESTERN BIOLOGICAL SUPPLY Co. — Route 3. ANA- CORTES. Wash. 26* COLLEGE BIOLOGICAL SUPPLY Co. — 9230 Woodlawn Ave, SEATTLE, Wash. 27* LEMBERGERS — P.O. Box 482, OSHKOSH. Wis. ASIA India 28 VITA Limited — 31 Ropewalk St. Fort. BOMBAY * =: Biological Supply Houses. Zoological Ck>llectors etc. 14 Turkey 29 INST. OF HISTOL. AND EMBRYOL.. Vet. College. Univ. of Ankara — ANKARA EUROPE Belgium 30 REPTILAMPHIBIA (Felix Vandevelde) — Remerstraat. BAAL (Brabant) Denmark 31 L^B. OF ZOOPHVSIOLOGY. Univ. of Copenhagen — Juliane Maries- vej 32. COPENHAGEN O 32 INST. FOR ALM. ZOOL.. Univ. of Copenhagen — Universitetspar- ken 3. COPENHAGEN O 33 CYTOCHEMISTRY DEPT. Carlsberg Lab. — 8 Gl. Carlsbergvej. COPENHAGEN Valby France 3-i DEP. D'EMBRYOLOGIE. Lab. de Histol.. Fac. de Med. de Nancy — 31 Rue Lionnois. NANCY (Meurthe 6 Moselle) Germany 35 ZOOLOGISCHES INSTITUT der Univ. Gottingen — Nikolausbergcr- weg 75. GoTTINGEN 36 INST. FOR EXP. KREBSFORSCHUNG. Univ. Heidelberg — Vosz- strasre 3. HEIDELBERG 37 ZOOLOGISCHES INSTITUT der Univ. Koln — Kerpenerstrasze 13, K5LN-LINDENTHAL 38 INST. FOR ANGEW. ZOOLOGIE der Univ. Wiirzburg — Rontgen- ring 10. WORZBURG Italy 39 ISTITUTO DI ZOOLOGIA. Univ. di Milano — Via Celoria 10, MILANO 40 ISTITUTO DI ZOOL. E ANAT. COMP. — Via Loredan 6. PADOVA 41 ISTITUDO DI ZOOLOGIA — Via Archirafi IS. PALERMO Netherlands 42 PHYSIOLOGICAL LABORATORY. Municipal Univ. of Amsterdam — Rapenburgerstraat, AMSTERDAM-C. 43 ANAT.-EMBRYOL. INSTITUUT. Municipal Univ. of Amsterdam — Mauritskade 61. AMSTERDAM-O. 44 VEZEL INSTITUUT T.N.O. — Mijnbouwstraat 16a. DELFT 45 CENTRA AL PROEFDIERENBEDRIJF T.N.O. — Biltstraat 172. UTRECHT Sweden 46 ZOOLOGICAL INSTITUTE. Uppsala Univ. — UPPSALA United Kingdom 47 DEPT OF ANATOMY. Med. School. Hospitals Centre — BIR- MINGHAM 15. England I 15 48 ANATOMY SCHOOL. Univ. of Cambridge — CAMBRIDGE, England ^ 49 INSTITUTE OF ANIMAL GENETICS — West Mains Road. EDIN- BURGH 9, Scotland 16 General questions and announcements I The Hubrccht Laboratory The year 1954 has been an important year in the development of the Hubrecht Laboratory. The first international team-work in the field of embryo- logy was held from February 1st till July 31st and has been very successful. The following scientists (in alphabetical order), participated in the team: I ) Miss R. de Fremery (M.Sc). (now Mrs Verhoef-de Fremery). Utrecht. Holland 2) Mr T. W. Glenister (M.B.. B.S.). London. England 3) Mr K. Hara (M.Sc). Nagoya. Japan 4) Miss D. Harari (M. Sc), Jerusalem. Israel 5) Mr O. Hassa (Vet.D.). Ankara. Turkey 6) Mr R. Hori (M.Sc). Toyama. Japan 7) Miss A. G. Johnen (Ph.D.). Cologne, Germany 8) Mr D. J. McCallion (Ph.D.). Wolfville. Canada 9) Miss V. M. McMurray (Ph.D.), Iowa, U.S.A. 10) Mr M. Sala S.J. (Phil.D.), Padova, Italy This team represented 9 different countries of three continents. The general topic of the team-work was: ,, Origin and establishment of organisation patterns in embryonic fields during early development in Amphibians and Birds, in particular in the nervous system and its substrate." After a technical and theoretical introduction into the general topic, seperate investigations have been carried out by the various participants under the per- .sonal direction of Dr P. D. Nieuwkoop. A joint preliminary publication has been written on the results already obtained, which will be published in due course. As a direct effect of this team-work experimental embryological work is being newly established at the Veterinary School in Ankara (Turkey), the University of Jerusalem (Israel) and the Charing Cross Hospital in London (England), while new stimuli have been given to the work of several other participants already engaged in experimental biology. The next team-work will be held at the Hubrecht Laboratory in the year 1956. We have the intention to prolong the duration of the team-work with one month in order to secure a better acquaintance of the participants with the language chosen as medium. The team-work will therefore be held from January 15th till August 15th. The general topic, leadership and further details will be announced by circular, to be distributed in the beginning of next year, so that applications can be sent in before September 1st of 1955. II The Central Embryological Library (C.E.L.) A Bibliographical information; Normal Tables For bibliographical information supplied to embryologists on request (cf. II B) we make use in the first place of the reprint-collection, with its card- index composed according to the classification-system used in the G.E.I.S.. and in the second place of the periodicals present in the C.E.L. Among these the abstracting-journals form an important source for informations. Those present in the C.E.L. are: ..Berichte iiber die Wissenschaftliche Biologie". ..Biological Abstracts" Sections A and B. and ..Excerpta Medica" Section I. 17 It may be of interest to mention that the C.E.L. possesses the greater portion of the Normal Tables included in the list added to the ..Concise Catalogue of the Central Embryological Collection of the Hubrecht Laboratory" (1953). The Tables are usually availabale for borrowing. B Services rendered by the C.E.L: conditions [or borrowing See the fifth full issue. 1953. p. 162. III The Central Embryological Collection of slides and material A The Collection The collection has been extended with the important experimental material of the late Prof. E. Rotmann (Cologne, Germany). A Concise Catalogue of the Central Embryological Collection of the Hubrecht Laboratory has been published and distributed. Copies are still available on request. B Conditions for borrowing See the fifth full issue. 1953. p. 162—163. IV The Normal Table of Xenopus laevis The descriptive work will be ready by the end of 1954. Taking into account the considerable amount of editorial work involved in making the joint manu- script ready for the press, we expect that the Normal Table will appear in the second half of 1955. Communications of tlie „Institut International J'Embo ologie" (Embryological Section of the l.U.B.S.) The I. I.E. has to announce with regret the loss of two of its founders and honorary members: Prof. Dr. J. P. Hill, who died in London in the beginning of 1954, and Prof. Dr. F. Hochstetter, who died in Vienna on the 10th of November, 1954. at the age of 93. Attention is drawn to the fact that, according to the new statutes of the I. I.E.. all persons active in research in the field of morphogenesis may apply for membership. Election to membership is by simple majority of the General Assembly upon recommendation of two fellows and approval by the Board. As the next General Assembly will be held in the summer of 1955 in the U.S.A. (date and place will be announced later), applications for membership are awaited by the Secretary, Prof. Chr. P. Raven, Zoological Laboratory, Janskerkhof 3, Utrecht. Candidate-m.embers -may tender their applications personally to the above address; they are advised to secure the recommen- dations of two fellows of the I.I.E. A list of fellows is to be found in the 1952 issue of the G.E.I. S. _ ,.^.., The Secretary, Chr. P. RAVEN 18 Reviews of recently publisFied textbooks on Embryology GENERAL The "Methuen's monographs on biological subjects" are a somewhat more luxurious form of pocketbook edition than the German "Sammlung Goschen" booklets. They have been printed in a more convenient letter type and on better paper and have been bound in a nice band. This is of cour.se reflected in the price, varying between 6 and 10 shillings, which is about 1 j/2 to 2 times the price of the German edition. There are, however, other interesting differences between the two forms of publication. Whereas the German edition gives more the general survey of the well established knowledge in the field concerned, the English edition actually offers us the up to date progress in the various problems with a very extensive bibliography. It is more particularly written for scientists and students and less for teachers and laymen interested in the field, for which latter group the German edition will be more welcome. The German edition is therefore also much more richly illustrated than the English monographs. P. D. NIEUWKOOP "VERTEBRATE SEXUAL CYCLES" 1951 by W. S. Bullough Methuen & Co. Ltd., London 117 pp. with 12 illustrations John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York Price: 6 s. The very extensive literature on the sexual physiology of the Vertebrates is briefly summarised in this booklet, indicating the main facts and theories with many references in order to enable the reader to extend his reading to the original literature. In this booklet the factors determining, controlling or affect- ing the seasonal and the oestrous reproductive cycles of the vertebrates are discussed. They can be divided into ultimate and proximate factors. In the ultimate factors the food supply is probably the most important. For their genetical fixation natural selection has been responsible. The proximate causes would be the internal reproductive rhythm, the environmental changes in light and climate and finally that group of factors in the immediate environment of the individual animal as breeding area, social grouping etc. The very extensive field of hormonal regulations has been only very briefly surveyed, after which the last chapter has been devoted to sexual behaviour, which subject has also been treated in outlines. This booklet which has been written in a clear and stimulating style and in which the essential aspects have been stressed and details have been omitted as much as possible, offers a very good summary of this interesting problem. We therefore highly recommend it to zoologists, medical and veterinary scien- tists and students. P. D. NIEUWKOOP 19 "ELfiMENTS D'EMBRYOLOGIE" Second Edition, 1948 by A. Celestino Da Costa Masson et Cie., Paris 583 pp. with 492 illustrations Price: Frcs. 2690 Although this textbook has been offered to the "Institut International d'Em- bryologie" and has not been sent for review in the General Embryological In- formation Service, we find this textbook, written in the French language, so important that we take the liberty of announcing and reviewing it in the 1954 supplement of the G.E.I.S. This textbook is particularly designed for medical students, so that besides two general parts dealing respectively with the formation of the gametes and the development of the egg, the third part dealing with the development of the various organ systems grouped according to their embryological affinities, is particularly devoted to the mammalian development. There are few textbooks on human embryology in which so much attention has been paid to general em- bryological problems and in which so many pages deal with the development of other vertebrates. The general chapters do not only concern with descriptive and comparative embryology, as in the majority of textbooks on human develop- ment, but also include experimental embryology, developmental genetics and pathological development. These chapters are so comprehensive that we are inclined to call this book rather a handbook than only a textbook as the author very modestly states in the preface. We are very thankful that a second french edition appeared in 1948 and hope that soon a third edition might be prepared including the most recent interesting advances in the field of embryology. The well organized text, the many bibliographical data and the well chosen figures increase markedly the general value of this book. Unfortunately the paper on which it is printed does not allow a satisfactory reproduction of autotypes. We hope that for a next edition a good solution can be found for this technical problem without leading to a considerable increase in the costs of publication. The additional chapter on the history of embryology forms a very worthy end of this work. We warmly recommend this very valuable book to all embryologists and hope that not only medical students but also students in biology will use it as a comprehensive guide into the many interesting problems of this field of science. P. D. NIEUWKOOP "SEX-DETERMINATION" Third Edition, 19-54 by F. A. E. Crew Methuen & Co. Ltd., London 68 pp. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., New York Price: 6 s. 6 d. The author emphatically states that this booklet presents only the main facts and will particularly serve as a guide to further reading for students. It is restricted to the cytological and the genetical aspects of sex-determination. In nearly all the chapters the main approach of the problems is from the gene- tical side so that especially a fair knowledge of general genetics is presupposed, while also cytology must be familiar to the reader. The author did not try to 20 treat the subject systematically, but restricted himself to examples out of various groups of animals and plants. In this respect this booklet differs rather much from the corresponding edition of the "Sammlung Goschen", which starts from a more elementary base and treats the subject more systematically. The extensive bibliography gives an excellent survey of the literature of the first half of the century, while a glossary explains and defines the terms used in this booklet. We like to recommend this booklet warmly to all those students and scientists interested in the problem of sex-determination as a problem so closely related to genetics in general. ^ P. D. NIEUWKOOP "THE EMBRYONIC DEVELOPMENT OF STURGEONS (5 spp.) IN RELATION TO PROBLEMS OF THEIR CULTURE" 1954 by T. A. Detlaf and A. S. Hinsburg Edited by S. G. Kryzhanovskii 216 pp. with 51 figs, H pis, Published by the Acad, of Sciences 18 tabs and 1 folding leaf of the USSR, Mosco.w, on behalf of the A.N. Severtsof Inst, of Animal Morphol. This book, written in Russian, was sent to us by the publishers. We hope to be able to review it in extenso in the 1955-issue. "DIE ENTWICKLUNG UND MORPHOLOGIE DES CHONDROKRANIUMS VON MYOTIS KAUP" 1954 by H. Frick Georg Thieme Verlag, 102 pp. with 46 illustrations Stuttgart Price: DM 14.40 It is in general not the aim of the review rubric of the G.E.I.S. to discuss the scientific value of a publication, so that in case of a purely scientific mono- graph like this book I shall mainly restrict myself to a consideration of general interest and form of this publication. It is rather unusual that a so specialized study forming the third part of a more general investigation on the develop- ment of the cranium in Chiroptera is published as a monograph, the more so as previous studies (part I and II) have appeared as articles in related periodicals. The very large number of illustrations in this "Habilitationsschrift" probably forms the reason for the appearance of this work in the form of a book. Very great care has been given to text and illustrations, which latter have been drawn from models by an excellent artist. All has been printed upon very good art- paper which explains a rather high price of this publication. This very careful and systematical, purely scientific study forms a valuable contribution to our knowledge of descriptive and comparative embryology and will certainly be received with great enthusiasm among specialists in that field, for which it of course does not need any further recommendation. On the other hand, it is very questionable whether it will actually receive much atten- tion in wider circles of biologists, medical and veterinary scientists, since its character is so very specialized. P. D. NIEUWKOOP 21 "MICROSCOPIC HISTOCHEMISTRY' Principles and Practice Second Edition, 1953 by G. Gomori 273 pp. of which 220 pp. of text The University of Chicago Press Price: $ 6.— The author makes a distinction between histochemistry and cytochemistry, the first as the identification and localisation of chemical substances in the tissues on a cytological scale and the second as the study of the chemical organisation of the cell in general. These definitions are very desirable at the beginning of this book, although they have a rather subjective character since various authors give different definitions and even often use the terms as synonyms. The author restricts the field of histochemistry to the identification and localisation in the more or less intact cell or tissue directly through the microscope. The very rapid developments of histochemistry in the last decennia makes a critical survey of the methods used and their applicability highly desirable and indispensable since many methods have been used too uncritically and often without a sufficient knowledge of the chemical reactions on which they are based. The author therefore first discusses the principles upon which the various methods are based and the standards for validity of techniques. In the second part the various techniques have been treated systematically. For every technique the detailed preparation of the reagents and their application is given. After the inorganic substances, the organic substances and in parti- cular the enzymes have been discussed in extenso with a very large number of references. This work therefore gives a very good survey of the literature on these subjects. For many scientists in biology, medicine, veterinary science and biochemistry this book will be very welcome. We therefore like to recom- mend this text book with great pleasure to all embryologists and other readers of the G.E.I.S., without disguising the fact that it will be impossible for any author, particularly in such a young branch of science, to avoid a certain subjectivity. We must, moreover, realize that in a field in which critical explo- ration has begun so recently, hand books get out of date very rapidly, even cannot be entirely up to date. P. D. NIEUWKOOP 'FORTPFLANZUNG IM TIER- UND PFLANZENREICH" Second Edition, 1951 by J. Hammerling 135 pp. with 101 illustrations Sammlung Goschen Band 1138 Walter de Gruyter 6 Co. Berlin pocket book size Price: DM 2.40 This German pocketbook edition of the ,, Sammlung Goschen" deals with the varied aspects of reproduction in plant and animal kingdom. It describes our present knowledge of the process of reproduction s.s. and does not include the numerous adaptations in plants and animals nor sex determination and its genetical background. Particularly the morphology of the reproduction process is extensively discussed and brought to the reader in a very comprehensive, but 22 concise form. The text has been clearly written and is nicely illustrated with a hundred of illustrations. The physiological aspects of the reproduction process, which are much more fragmentarily known than its morphological aspects, are less comprehensively treated and cover only 1/7 of this work. We can highly recommend this second edition to all people who like to get a general but accurate survey of this interesting field of science, which enables them to find their way to the e.xtensive literature published on these problems. It moreover gives a very practical glossary with clear definitions of the terms used in this booklet. P. D. NIEUWKOOP "GESCHLECHT UND GESCHLECHTSBESTIMMUNG IM TIER- UND PFLANZENREICH" Second Edition, 1951 by M. Hartmann 116 pp. with 61 illustrations and 7 tabs Sammlung Goschen Band 1127 Walter de Gruyter & Co. Berlin pocket book size Price: DM 2.40 This German pocketbook of the ,, Goschen Sammlung" deals with the pro- blem of sex and sex-determination in plant and animal kingdom, in particular with the many-sided aspects of bisexuality in the so called primary sexual glands. The polymorphism of the secondary sexual glands will not be treated in this booklet. The author discusses extensively the various types of sex- and sex ratio determinations and the influence of the sex hormones upon them. A general theory on sexuality is built up on the principle of bisexuality and the genetically and a-genetically determined influences leading to the distinction of six steps in sex determination. The clearly written and well organized text is illustrated with a large number of good illustrations and diagrams. This booklet only contains a few references, the majority of which is not very recent. Unfortunately the reader is not very easily brought to the recent original literature on this subject on which so much work is still going on. Also in this booklet one finds a very practical glossary of the terms used. Just like the edition on reproduction it gives the reader a very accurate and detailed but concise survey over a wide field of science. We will therefore heartily recommend these cheap pocketbook editions which are within the means of every scientist. P. D. NIEUWKOOP "TEXTBOOK OF HISTOLOGY" Sixth Edition, 1953 by A. A. Maximov and W. Bloom W. B. Saunders Company 616 pp. with 986 illustrations, Philadelphia and London 257 in color, on 580 figs Price: $ 10.00 This textbook on human histology has gradually received a very many sided and comprehensive character in the successive editions by the various contri- butions and suggestions of many well-known scientists. Nevertheless the author I 23 has succeeded in keeping it homogeneous and consistent. After a very valuable introduction in which the general texture of a cell has been discussed and the great importance of methods of fixation and staining has been emphasized, the various organ systems have been treated systematically by discussing their development, cellular structure and function. Each organ has been described in many details with the help of excellent diagrams, sketches and photographs of sections and tridimensional reconstructions either in black and white or in co- lour. The very rich information has been given in a concise and very well orga- nized form, so that students can easily find their way in the text. At the end of each chapter an extensive list of the most important literature has been given. Unfortunately no direct references have been made in the text itself, which would certainly stimulate the reading of the original literature. It might also be suggested that the chapter on nervous tissue will be extended in the next edition, showing more clearly the great variety in neuronal and fiber develop- ment without entering into the field of the general texture of the nervous system. These few suggestions have only been made in order to improve this already excellent textbook, which as one of the best and most up to date guides into this field can warmly be recommended to all medical students in the Anglo- Saxon countries as well in the other countries of Europe and other continents where English is sufficiently taught in the secondary school education. P. D. NIEUWKOOP "COMPARATIVE EMBRYOLOGY OF THE VERTEBRATES" 1953 by Olin E. Nelsen The Blakiston Company, Inc. 982 pp. with 2057 Drawings New York — Toronto and Photographs grouped as Price: $ 8. — 380 Illustrations In the preface the author emphasizes the necessity of the study of compara- tive anatomy for a successful understanding of comparative embryology. In this handbook the author has tried to treat vertebrate embryology over the entire course of development, and hence into the realm of comparative ana- tomy. The text has been so arranged and illustrated that this book can be used as a book for short and for more extensive courses. Moreover the discussion of the basic embryological principles has been separated from the section deal- ing with the relationships between comparative embryology and comparative anatomy. Before the description of the successive periods of development some general terms and concepts are discussed and a classification of the Phylum Chordata is given. The entire reproduction system of male and female, their function and hor- monal regulation are described in extenso in order to show the environment in which the origin and development of the sex cells till maturation takes place. The extensive treatment of this first part of the book called "The Period of Preparation" is very valuable and will be appreciated by many teachers and students. Also the following two parts, "The Period of Fertihzation" and "The Development of Primitive Embryonic Body Form" have been treated very comprehensively. The author gives here an excellent synthesis of descrip- tive, comparative and experimental literature which makes these chapters ex- tremely interesting. 24 The later development given in part IV. "Histogenesis and Morphogenesis of the Organ Systems", is discussed according to organ systems and forms the part in which comparative embryological and comparative anatomical aspects have been combined. The diversity is. however, so enormous in the development and adaptations of each organ system among the various classes, orders and families of the Vertebrates that a survey can only be an outline of the more principal aspects. This part of the book therefore unavoidably gets a somewhat superficial character since the general comprehensive scope of the book has also been maintained here. The same holds for the last part, "Care and Nourishment of the Developing Young". We therefore feel that the second half of this handbook will he more used for teaching purposes, whereas the first half will also be highly appreciated by scientists as one of the more comprehensive and excellent reviews of our knowledge of the various processes and events in development. The references at the end of each chapter form an excellent key to the older and recent original literature. The entire book has been very well organized and has been written in an easy style. The numerous illustrations have partially been chosen with much care from other handbooks and publications and have partially been newly made. Particularly the last category is very outstanding and might serve as an example for many textbooks. The only suggestion we should like to make concerns the use of different characters in the text and particularly in the headings. A better choice can markedly increase the survey- ability of the text, now e.g. the italics used for heading of the larger units do not strike the eye sufficiently, whereas the text in bold type gets too much emphasis. All in all it has been a great pleasure to reviev/ this handbook which we not only highly recommend to all embryologists. but of which we Hke to say that it should be within direct reach of all embryologists, teachers and students directing respectively attending courses in embryology. P. D. NIEUWKOOP "TISSUE CULTURE" Second Edition, 1954 by E. N. Willmer Methuen & Co. Ltd., London with 175 pp.. 2 plates John Wiley & Sons. Inc.. New York and 8 text diagrams Price: 9 s. 6 d. As the author states in the preface this book will merely give a fair account of the part played by the method of tissue culture in the elucidation of the problems of normal growth and differentiation and in the study of the normal development of the animal. He has very successfully tried to give a survey of the main advances made in our knowledge of growth and differentiation as far as the technique of tissue culture has been employed. Since the first edition in 1935 very great advances have been made by the development of the phase- contrast, the electron and the reflecting microscopes as well as by the use of tracer elements and by the developments in bio- and histochemistry, so that a second edition was highly desirable. This book actually gives a very clear and comprehensive survey on the many aspects of unorganized cell growth and differentiation as well as on those of organized growth of tissues and organ systems. It contains a glossary, a list of reference books on tissue culture 25 during the last 25 years has been included. This very valuable survey will eagerly be read by a great number of workers in biology, medicine and veteri- nary science to whom we highly recommend this second edition. P. D. NIEUWKOOP "ANATOMY OF THE CHORDATES" 1951 by Ch. K. Weichert McGraw-Hill Book Company, Inc. 921 pp. with 506 illustrations New York-Toronto-London Price: 60 s. The textbook will form a general guide into chordate anatomy for more advanced students. After an introduction and a concise treatment of the classi- fication of the chordates with many illustrations of characteristic representati- ves of each order, the third chapter deals with the development of the indivi- dual. Although the author emphatically states in his preface that he considers this chapter as very essential since much of the subsequent material on indivi- dual organ systems is presented from an embryological point of view, this chapter is very short and elementary. Particularly the process of germ layer formation, so fundamental for a good understanding of the chordate anatomy, is much too schematized and in several aspects incorrect. The general discus- sion on the further steps of organ and tissue formation is also given in a too brief form for a textbook of this stature. The discussion of the various organ systems is comprehensive and well organized. Each chapter is richly illustrated with clear diagrams and drawings. It would only be desirable to extend the chapter on skeletal system and nervous system, particularly the discussion of skull and brain structure, which are so essential for comparative and functional studies, while some further illustrations might help to bring the anatomy and formation of the cephalic nerves closer to the reader. In the third part of this book some representative animals are described in detail. It is quite understandable that the choice has been made out of American species easily available. We feel it however as a serious lack that the groups of reptiles and birds are not represented. In our opinion it is highly desirable that students come into direct contact with at least one representative of each of the main vertebrate classes. The very extensive treatment of e.g. the mus- cular system of the cat makes a somewhat exaggerated impression. The total absence of references to other textbooks, review articles or original publications forms a serious objection to a textbook of this size and stature. We must confess that we feel rather much criticism towards the content of this book, but give our criticism as suggestions which might lead to a marked improvement of its second edition. P. D. NIEUWKOOP MBL WHOI LIBRARY lilH IBbE Q